Bodybuilder, Nurse, Mum – Joanne Jagger does it all, and we’ve found out how!

Bodybuilder, Nurse, Mum – Joanne Jagger does it all, and we’ve found out how!

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By StressNoMore 11 April 2016 122 Views

This week we have some serious fitspiration for you! We are lucky enough to be able to share with you the story and lifestyle of a super fit mum! As well as being a mother to her adorable 4-year-old son Adam, Joanne is a keen sports enthusiast, bodybuilder and a dedicated Community Staff Nurse!
[caption id="attachment_3032" align="alignright" width="300"] Bodybuilder & Mum[/caption]
We are all guilty of complaining that we simply don’t have time to achieve the things we want in life, but what about those that simply MAKE time to achieve their goals despite all the odds? Joanne is proof that you can achieve exactly what you want, and with some clever time management, anything is possible.
Joanne’s life is anything but ordinary. As a bodybuilder Jo weight trains 5-6 times a week with her trainer Sarah without fail, as well as completing grueling, daily cardio sessions when preparing for a competition. She also eats 6 carefully measured meals every day to accompany her training.
Joanne has just kicked off her competitive season by placing third in her category, ‘Athletic Figure’ in one of the UK’s most popular and critically acclaimed bodybuilding shows, The Saxon Classic in Stafford. She then received an invite to the British Finals. Joanne has several other shows to compete in this year, but what we want to know is how does she do it all?
Bodybuilding, nursing or being a mother - which is the most challenging?
Oh by far being a mother, it’s a 24-hour job, not just a couple of hours in the gym or 8 hours at work!
How do you juggle all three of these demanding tasks?
Time management is the key. My partner or my mother has my son Adam so I can train, either early morning before Adam gets up or later at night after he is in bed. If I have a day off from work, I train whilst he is at nursery, my food prep is done every 3 days after the gym at about 10pm. Work is work - when I am at work I am fully dedicated to being a nurse, I have to concentrate fully on that.
What does a typical day look like for you?
If I am at work, I get up at 6.30am and get myself sorted. I then get Adam up at 7.00am, take him to my mother’s for 7.45am and then I start work at 8.30am. If I have time, I do my cardio sessions across my dinner break. I pick Adam up at 5.00pm after work, sort him out with his bath and then he goes to bed at 7.00pm-ish when we have story time, etc. I then get to the gym at 7.45pm for my weight training session and I get home by 9.15pm. Once I am home I shower, prep all my meals, do the house chores, my partners pack-up etc. and eat my tea. I also have 6 cats so I have to sort them out too. Last but not least I then go to bed. I do most of washing and housework on my days off.
What’s your motivation?
Having something for myself. I’ve always been really sporty. When I go to gym or work it is the only time I get to go to the toilet on my own!
Can you tell us a bit about your background in fitness?
When I was little I used to say I was swimming but my dad was actually sneaking me in to the gym from about 10 years old. I was really into gymnastics up until about 11 years old. I started running long distance in 1998 and found I was good at it and enjoyed it so have completed 10 marathons and that many of half marathons and 10Ks that I have lost count!
As your son is only 4 years old, how long did it take you to regain your post-baby bod? Have you got any tips for new mums?
Well I managed to only put on a stone and a half through pregnancy - I trained every day and maintained my fitness levels. The day before I had Adam I did a 2-hour leg session in the gym! I was back to fitness shortly after; I was biking 5 days after I got home and was back in the gym 2 weeks later. I completed a bodybuilding show when Adam was 14 months old and came 5th.
Jo is a shining example of what you can achieve if you manage your time and set your mind to something. Having a child has in no way inhibited Jo from achieving any of her goals, it has only added to and further enriched her life. Health and fitness is a huge driving force in Jo’s life and she will no doubt continue to make an impact on the bodybuilding scene.